USAID Tulonge Afya Volunteers Orientation

USAID Tulonge Afya project catalyzes opportunities for Tanzanians to improve their health status by transforming socio-cultural norms and supporting the adoption of healthier behaviors. By addressing key social and cultural norms and social and behavior change (SBC) needs, USAID Tulonge Afya identifies the drivers of behaviors directly tied to health and leverages social and behavior change communication (SBCC) and other mutually reinforcing approaches to achieve the following results: • Result 1: Improved ability of individuals to practice healthy behaviors • Result 2: Strengthened community support for healthy behaviors • Result 3: Improved systems for coordination and implementation of SBCC interventions

USAID Tulonge Afya Mufindi

To deliver against USAID TulongeAfya project objectives, T-MARC has sub granted IDYDC to implement community mobilisation, targeted SBCC interventions, and demand creation activities in Mufindi District Council. IDYDC has recruited 81 volunteers three from each ward in all 27 wards of Mufindi DC to implement the project at community level.

Orientation

We organised a training to orient the volunteers in collaboration with T-MARC Tanzania, FHI360 and Government officials. By the help of District Health Promotion Coordinator we were able to mobilize all the participants by involving their ward executive officers. All 27 wards were represented at the training meaning that no area will be left behind in the implementation of the USAID Tulonge Afya Project.

Mufindi DHBCPCO, Eveline Mbilinyi speaking to the participant at the opening of the training

Sessions

Each ward was represented by Community Health Worker, Community Volunteer and Peer Champion as volunteers for the project. On the first day they got the chance to know about the USAID Tulonge Afya Project, what the project is about, the time frame and the expected results. The also were told about how the training is going to be for the three days.

Each participant took a test to measure understanding on health issues and SBCC skills, this test was also taken at the end. Facilitators did a great job to involve everyone in the training and using ways that made the topics easy to understand.

The class was sometimes divided in groups and they discussed topics in groups then presented in front of others. Other times they practiced one to one sessions or one to many as in a village meeting. The sessions were very lively with all participant eager to learn and ask whenever they did not understand.

From 12th July to 14th July 2018 the training session were carried out in Mafinga and finished successfully. We got positive feedback from the participant who showed that they are ready to implement what they learned for the three days. We hope for the best as this knowledge will go down to our communities and help everyone.